Online service providers facilitate access to information and services by providing interactive user interfaces (UIs) that help users (e.g., subscribers) navigate to desired resources. For example, in the case of a system for communicating using instant messages (IMs), a UI allows a user to invoke actions, such as establishing a communications link, through the selection of screen objects such as icons, windows, and drop-down menus. The design of a UI has a significant impact on a user's online experience. In particular, the icons, the windows, and the menus of a UI may be arranged to enable a user to locate information and services quickly and easily.